Yep, there is a chance the Vikings can get into the NFC playoffs.
But they need a bunch of dominos to fall just the right way.
That is, if they rebound from their dismal New Year's Eve debacle.
They lost to the Green Bay Packers 33-10 in a game that was really no contest from beginning to end.
And now, it's on to Detroit for a noon start in the regular season finale.
A win for the Vikings, now sitting at 7-9, gets the ball rolling.
Also playing the early game is New Orleans against Atlanta and Tampa Bay at Carolina, with the Vikings needing either the Saints or Bucs to lose.
If all that happens, it would get interesting for the late games.
Chicago must upset the Packers in Green Bay.
Then Seattle must lose at Arizona.
All starting times for the week 18 games were set by the NFL after yesterday's games ended, prolonging the drama of settling the playoff spots and seeding.
The Vikings find themselves in a fix after losing five of their last six games, last night's setback their third in a row after that 3-0 slog of a win at Las Vegas.
"We have to get right back to work this week," said head coach Kevin O'Connell, appearing more despondent than ever before in his postgame media availability.
"We're going to find out, with everything being tested within our organization, culture, and what we've tried to build here," he said. "But in the end, we've got to get back to work and try to improve with the opportunity that we have left, and that all will start with me."
Only six teams in NFL history have made the playoffs with a losing record.
Three of them won their playoff opener before losing in the second round.
